CUSTOMS IMPOUNDS ANOTHER 440 RIFLES

Some
of the 440 pieces of assorted pump action rifles and other ammunitions
intercepted by customs officers from a container marked as Antisera and Cannule
(Chemical Formular) at the Tin Can Port in Lagos

The
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) yesterday impounded another 440 pump action
rifles at the Tin Can Island Command, Lagos.

The
440 pieces of automatic pump action rifles were said to have been imported into
the country from Turkey.

Customs
operatives attached to the Federal Operations Unit earlier this year
intercepted 49 containers with 661 pump action rifles at the Mile 2 area of
Lagos.

Three
persons among who are the importer, the clearing agent and the driver were
arrested in connection with the 661 rifles.

Unlike
the rifles intercepted in January, which were all same models, yesterday’s
recovery was of various designs.

The
contraband was carefully concealed in containers laden with Plaster of Paris
(POP).

The
Assistant Comptroller General of Customs (ACG) Monday Abueh, who represented
the Comptroller General of Customs, told journalists that customs agent were
able to carry out the arrest based on intelligence report.

According
to him, the pump action rifles were manufactured in the U.S and Italy but
imported from the Turkey.

Abueh
who stated that arrests had been made in connection with the importation, added
that for security reasons, the service was not ready to reveal their identities
for now.

“They
are pump actions of various designs, this is black colour, they are all
pump-action and also the single barrel device that you’re familiar with.

“Based
on intelligence report our officer under the command of Controller Bashar
(Tincan Island Command), the container was identified and intercepted.

“We
discovered that they used POP to conceal the importation and so there is no way
you could know but based on intelligence report, we were able to know that the
container was laden with arms.

“We
have one defendant but due to security reason, we don’t want to make it public
for now even the consignee, we are still keeping them under wrap because such
information could hamper investigations which are still ongoing,” he said.

According
to the ACG, the nation has been saved from another round of problem that the
pump actions would have caused.

The
661 pieces intercepted at the Apapa port in January were concealed with steel
doors and other merchandise good.

Following
the January incident, the Customs declared two of its senior officers wanted
over the importation of the rifles into the country.

The
officers declared wanted were Abdulahi I., an assistant superintendent of
customs (ASC), with service number 44483 and ACIC Odiba Inah, with service
number 133386.

According
to the Customs, the two officers later turned themselves in.

DCG
Dan Ugo, Enforcement, Investigation & Inspection said at the time that“the three (3) Officers earlier declared
wanted in connection with the clearance of the 661 pump action riffles have all
reported and are being investigated.

“NCS
remains resolute on its determination to ensure that justice is served to all
those found involved”.

The
Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali (rtd) also said in January that the
agency had arrested three suspects including,Oscar Okafor (importer), Mahmud Hassan (clearing agent) and Sadique
Mustapha (escort) in connection with the arms smuggling.

Our
correspondent gathered that investigation is still ongoing and those arrested
in the January importation of the illegal arms importation are being detained
by the Custom